wood fired pottery

Slow Pots

2012-01-25T07:01:00.000-06:00

January go's on in it's peculiar pace that is uniquely January. Nothing happens in Minnesota this time of year and that happens very slowly.
Slow pots are fitting, no hundred mug series, just a teapot or two. This one was made on the Lunar New Year.. so why not call it the "Water Dragon Teapot". A simple Celadon, or Tenmoku, will do for the glaze.
Wood firing is not called by any name that resembles January. Slow pots are for now as we wait for the return of spring, when the potters return to their kiln.
Cheers,

Make Good Pots,
~Craig

Tea!

2012-01-20T09:30:00.001-06:00

It's not wood fired, it's a cone 10 Celadon. Somehow it seems right to think about warm tea, in a cold January.
Cheers,
Make Good Pots,
~Craig

New Teapot

2012-01-14T16:22:00.001-06:00

Winter finally arrived with some snow and colder temps. Somehow that got me working on a new teapot design.
Make Good Pots.
~Craig

VOCO

2011-12-16T17:23:00.000-06:00

Vessel oriented ceramic objects, or pots depending on how up or down market you want to sound. Still working out the kinks with the new camera. So here are some of the latest attempts at photographing some of pots from the fall burn.
Cheers,
~Make good pots
~Craig

There is a puddle of green glass in this bowl. This is from the bowl being filled with ash during the firing and then melting at the end of the firing.

These two plates were from a stack of plates. The shino and ash had some good drama as they played with each other.

This is a teabowl from the back of the kiln. It's made of a mid fire red clay and brushed with a slip. It has a nice warm feeling.

Taylor Made me do it

2011-12-08T09:24:00.000-06:00

Here's some lidded jar's I've heard that some call them Ginger Jars... I usually fill them with rice.
Make Good Pots
~Craig

Reality

2011-12-01T05:49:00.000-06:00

Pictures of pots are always nice to post. Especially if you've had a great firing. The reality of wood firing is a lot of cutting, splitting and stacking wood. The chainsaw, wood splitter and wheel barrow have been in my hands this week. It has been a race with winter. Winter has held off longer than usual, but it is not timid and will make an entrance any day now.
The saw mill had some good wood for me this year and was able to get all the wood I need for next years firing. There are two kinds of wood, the slab wood, and edgings.
The edgings are the skinny pieces that we use for sidestoking at the end of the firing.
Well must go before winter sets in.
Make Good Pots,
~Craig

Copper Red Salt

2011-11-30T13:21:00.000-06:00

Here is a small bowl that came out of the back chamber. It's made with Continental Clay's
B- Clay and salted at cone 10. The copper red is better than I could get in gas firing. Who knew?
Cheers,
Make Good Pots
~Craig

Two Tsubo and a Chawan made from a mid fire red clay.

2011-11-28T16:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of Tsubo's and a Chawan that were made out of a mid-fire red clay. They were fired to about cone 6-8.
They were lined with a cone 6 shino. The chawan has the shino on the inside

A couple three small bottles.

2011-11-22T07:04:00.000-06:00

Here are a few small bottles out of the back of the fall firing. I got a new camera and still am getting comfortable with it. Mike delivered nine more bundles of wood so it is another day of cutting and stacking.

Some Yunomi

2011-11-21T19:33:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of Yunomi from the firing. These got some drama from the flyash.

I put some salt cups in and I think that this yunomi was sitting next to one.

Well it's warmed up some so splitting wood is the order of the day.
Cheers,
Make Good Pots.

Pictures from the exhibition

2011-11-21T09:31:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of pics from the latest exhibition. We had the first snow storm of the winter for the reception, but lots of folks showed up and a good time was had by all.

Exhibition

2011-11-08T21:49:00.001-06:00

It was a great fall firing, and the exhibition is up and it looks pretty good. So if you are in the area stop on by and check it out.

~Craig

Little bowl fresh from firing

2011-11-06T13:21:00.000-06:00

Here is a little bowl from the back of the kiln. The kiln is still about 300F, but I was able to reach in stoke hole 5 and pull it out. It's been cooling for three days and we might be able to unload tomorrow.

Here is the mandatory flaming chimney picture. They are always fun.
Cheers,
Make good pots,
Craig

Soaking at Cone 10

2011-11-02T13:05:00.000-05:00

A couple of burning wood pics. The firing is going well, I think that it has to do with an excellent stoking crew. After so many years of working together, it go's like clockwork.
Right now we are soaking for awhile to get some good flyash builtup.

Make good pots!
~Craig

Starting the fall firing

2011-10-31T17:12:00.000-05:00

The door is all bricked up and the small fire is started. It seems like a long journey to this point. The weather is perfect, and moral at base camp is high.

Morning thoughts

2011-07-18T07:22:00.000-05:00

It is the morning, before the mind gets bombarded with the doings that make up days. The morning coffee is made. Lynn is still sleeping. The pendulum on the clock is the only sound as it measures off time in a relaxed and gentle way. The clock was my great grand parents and has been in the family for over 100 years. It has been a constant and reliable companion every morning since childhood. The dialog that it has with time, opens me up, to the endless possibilities of the day, a sure cure for the poverty of the imagination.
The work for the fall firing is starting. Now that the spring firing has been properly dealt with all thoughts are looking ahead to the fall.
Beginning at the beginning is always good ... mixing clay is what is in store for the day.
Here are some pics of tea bowls from the last firing.

Make good pots,
~Craig

Heron

2011-07-09T09:24:00.000-05:00

In the morning as I type, a great blue heron quietly glides in and gently lands on the dock. The dock can be seen from the window, next to the computer, and is a place where ducks rest and herons fish.

The heron takes his time to arrive. There is a transition period between, gliding in, to actually "being" on the dock. Upon landing, he steps a bit to position himself properly, slightly flaps his wings, and preens his feathers to make sure that none of his feathers are ruffled. Then bobs his head several times with a rhythm that makes you want to swallow. Head bobbing on that long heron neck, is something that defines the essence of what a heron is. Next he surveys the surroundings, and slightly repositions himself. Finally he straightens his neck, and stands full. At this moment, he has arrived, and starts patiently staring into the pond for the next meal. All these movements look slightly awkward, but the heron does them in such an elegant way. It takes time to be majestic.

Cheers,

Make Good Pots,

~Craig

Cleaning up pots, kiln and all the rest

2011-07-07T07:56:00.000-05:00

Another day is spent doing the final cleaning of pots from the spring firing. The very good ones are all lined up waiting to be photographed. There is a surprisingly quite a few excellent ones and some stunners in the group. Cleaning and sorting takes a moderate amount of time. Unlike pots from electric or gas kilns, a lot of after fire finish work is required on some of the pots. This is a still time, a time to spend with the results of the making and firing. This is a time to get reacquainted with the pots, after there long journey in the kiln firing. They tell stories of living in a river of flame, of being buried completely in coals, to reemerge and perhaps be buried again. These are stories that echo of a life lived and stories of survival. Some tell stories of being in the right place at the right time, while others tell of being destroyed by a piece of poorly stoked wood, some are bland and underfired. A tale of a life not lived.

The kiln is all cleaned of ash, a room waiting for some new arrivals. The shelves are cleaned and washed with a fresh coat of kiln wash, they remind me of new sheets on a bed, so clean and pristine. Time to quit writing and get some rest.

Cheers,
Make Good Pots
~Craig

Copper Reds who knew!

2011-07-05T11:54:00.000-05:00

I put some copper red glaze on some porcelain teabowls, and put them into the spring firing. Who knew that they would thrive in that environment. I'm sure that it is one of those things that if you come to depend on it, it will abandon you immediately. Here is to hoping that it doesn't!
Cheers,
Make good pots,
~Craig

A long time a coming

2011-07-04T08:19:00.000-05:00

Winter and spring have finally left and summer is here. The spring firing was a great success. Here are two bowls from the firing. The winter was an honest winter, with the promise of snow and cold properly fulfilled. Spring however turned out to be the ugly stepsister of Winter. Enough said about Spring. Summer is here with it's warmth and sunshine. Cheers.

Day in the life

2011-03-09T21:55:00.000-06:00

A bit of fun with the bottles

Some small bowls all in a row.

Teapots and Winter

2011-02-20T19:02:00.000-06:00

It's been quite awhile since the last post. The winter in Minnesota turned into the icy forge that sometimes happens. The cold of sub zero temperatures pound daily, and a siege mentality starts to set in. The bitter cold has finally let up. We are in a blizzard right now with another foot of snow expected. So the sking will be on again.
Here are a couple of slabbuilt teapots that just came out of the gas kiln. They pour a nice cup of tea. That's really all that a person could want in life.
Cheers,
Make good pots.

I

Another January Day

2011-01-16T23:15:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures that showed up on the camera. Every week we get more snow, and the base just keeps getting better and better.

This is the beginning of the ski trail as it heads west. It is the beginning of what has become a 90 minute daily ski in the woods. Very refreshing, and good for the soul.

The ski tracks have been holding together really well. The temp has been from 20F-10F. which is ideal to keep the snow firm.

Minnesota Ice

2011-01-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

It's hard to post something new and interesting that happens in Minnesota in January. There is a certain sameness that takes over. I ski and make pots. It is too cold to wood fire, so there is a "Seasonal Affected Firing Disorder" that you must deal with.
This fall I was able to get my hands on a nice used Alpine gas kiln. This turned out to be the cure for SAFD. Here are some results from the last firing.
I can definitely see that the snow and winter has influenced the pots.
I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Make Good Pots,
~Craig

Northern Ice

2011-01-04T13:01:00.000-06:00

I just got some porcelain out of the gas kiln. Here is a celadon, guinomi (sake cup). It references the Minnesota winter. I guess all that time spent in the woods cross country skiing is starting to show up in the pots.

I'm excited enough that I'm glazing up some more. How great is that to still be excited after forty plus years!

Make good pots!
Cheers,
~Craig

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T09:20:00.010-06:00

Here is wishing all a Happy New Year!

Here is a favorite New Year blessing from John O'Donohue

A New Year Blessing
BEANNACHT
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life."

Pitchers from the past

2010-12-22T07:34:00.000-06:00

Finding empty shelves is always a good and bad problem.The bad problem is you have no pots to sell. The good problem is that you must make more! Lately instead of pushing forward, I seem to be regressing and making pots that I haven't made in years. Call it a second childhood, if you will. These jugs fit into the comfortable old friend , good to see you, how have you been category. A couple dozen got made, I really would like to keep making more of them, but other old friends are calling.

Cheers,

Make good pots,

~Craig

realization

2010-12-20T09:54:00.000-06:00

Snow and cross-country ski trails keep showing up on the camera. All of a sudden there was the realization that I must be spending a lot of time out in the woods, skiing, . Odd, it doesn't seem like that much. The pictures are always at the top of the hills, never at the bottom, I'm sure there is something very telling about that, maybe the light is better at the top.
Maybe some pottery pics will show up on the camera soon. We are supposed to get another 6-8 inches of snow today(it's snowing right now), so there is a chance of more snow photos.
The weather person mentioned that this will be the seventh major snow this winter. Already there is no place left to put the snow!!
When it warms up, we are thinking of making some large snow pots, or snow kilns.
Cheers,
~Craig

Kiln in Snow

2010-12-18T09:58:00.001-06:00

The last snow fall or maybe it was the one before, they just keep coming so it becomes one big winter blur left all this snow on the kiln. The snow makes it hard to imagine that sometimes it is 2300F plus inside the kiln .

Next week I'll probably go out and brush all the snow off. I think I will leave it for awhile, as it will not get warm enough to melt.

Ichi-go ichi-e

2010-12-16T09:48:00.000-06:00

Ichi-go ichi-e

Some December throwing

2010-12-13T18:15:00.000-06:00

Well the roads have been cleared of the excessive snow and I started putting some more time in at the workshop. Here are a few new jars (tsubo) that will probably go into the spring wood firing. The temp this morning was a -13F. so the spring firing seems like some dreamland far away.

Oh, here is a shot of one of the jars from the side. I really like making these jars, and I always end up with more than I need. A really good problem to have, there is nothing more frustrating than having space in the kiln with nothing to put there.

This is a tokkuri (saki bottle) that I made.. it needs the cups to go with it. That will probably happen tomorrow. It's a bit of fun to alter and slice up some pots.

Finally some beer mugs. This is a design that I haven't made in about twenty years or so. What a blast from the past.
Well,

Make good pots,

~Craig

Arctic Blast

2010-12-12T15:54:00.000-06:00

I haven't blogged in a while. It's not like I haven't been making pots, it's either the camera needs recharging or something. I know that this blog is mainly about pottery, and that snow pictures abound. The pictures mainly are a Currier and Ives Card sort of thing that truly make you want to go and play in the snow. This snow photo is not on that ilk. This is what yesterday looked like out the back door. This is snow having a really bad hair day. The weather man was saying things that you never want to hear..... Arctic Blast .... Wind Chill Factor... Below Zero....no travel advised... roads impassable... blowing and drifting.
It was a great day to be inside in the studio.
Make good pots!

~Craig

Morning walk

2010-12-07T08:21:00.000-06:00

The morning walk is now the morning ski. The walking shoes are put away and the ski boots are by the door. When you just see the snow it's white. When you look at the snow it changes color during the day, from blues to oranges and yes, sometimes it is actually white! Skiing around here can sometimes last into April. Very good exercise for the body and soul.

Dressed in Snow

2010-12-05T09:48:00.000-06:00

Shoveling snow and I glanced up to see this pot all dressed in it's winter finest. A nice scarf around it's neck, and something to cover it's feet.

Some epaulets for this one. It helps it stand a little prouder.

A wonderful frothy head. A winter garden in full bloom.

snow and porcelain

2010-12-03T20:37:00.000-06:00

The wood got cut and stacked in time. It's very peaceful and serene when the snow is gently falling, and lying there very still and quiet. Your boots crunch the snow, and the flakes wet your face. White,white, white.

It's snowing, started about 10A and is supposed to continue until tomorrow at the same time. Winter is here, no more yo-yoing between fall and winter! There is now enough snow to cross-country ski !!! Snow is no fun if you can't play in it... and skiing is about as good as it gets.

I'm living in a very white world these days. Just finishing up on a batch of porcelain.... with a few bowls. Cheers.
~Craig

Lao Tzu

2010-12-02T09:08:00.001-06:00

Great correctness may appear twisted, great skill appear crude, great eloquence appear awkward.
Great perfection may appear imperfect, but its usefulness is inexhaustible.
Great abundance may appear empty, but its usefulness cannot be exhausted. Lao Tzu

A day in the studio.

2010-11-29T17:03:00.000-06:00

Here are some small porcelain pieces. They are made from a porcelain that has a little bit of iron, so that they will flash in the wood fire. I like a few of them, some of them I'm not yet convinced of. I'll wait for tomorrow to see how I feel about them before I give any of them the elbow. It is raining right now, we are supposed to get 6 to 9" of snow tonight.

Make good pots
~Craig

A taste of Seoul

2010-11-27T09:29:00.000-06:00

Here is a taste of Seoul, S Korea. This is a stainless steel sculpture of a man hammering. The arm and hammer go up and down. You walk around the corner and surprise!!

Firing with wood

2010-11-26T14:44:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I have to remind myself, that the wood is actually doing the firing and not me.

Make good pots

~Craig

Snowing and Porcelain

2010-11-24T15:31:00.003-06:00

It's snowing and I'm throwing porcelain. Somehow that seems fitting with the whiteness of Winter. Here are a couple of yunomi's and a small lidded jar the happened today. Very white!!

Make good pots,
Craig

On the Bench

2010-11-21T15:22:00.001-06:00

Lately there hasn't been anything much to take a picture of. Winter is upon us and we have been doing allot of preparing for a Minnesota winter. We put up several more cords of wood for the firings of next year. This feels very good, there is enough wood for possibly three firings!
I put up this picture from last months trip to Korea. A small boy sitting next to a sculpture. I always like a good picture, you probably do too.

Make good pots

~Craig

Back to the wheel

2010-11-16T20:26:00.003-06:00

After trading in the trowel and level, for the chainsaw and woodspliter, time to trade in the chainsaw and splitter for the wheel and water bucket. There is finally time to throw some pots. There was about 100lbs. of porcelain in the mixer so that's where the throwing will start. These are some tokouri, for the spring firing, next something to drink out of.
Winter has finally hit and it is non to soon to get back into the studio!
Make good pots,
~Craig

.Tsuruta Yoshihisa

2010-11-15T07:49:00.005-06:00

A real highlight of the kilnbuildiing in Taku ( there were many) was meeting . Tsuruta Yoshihisa and having him so graciously demonstrate Karatsu throwing techniques. His mastery of the making is superb, and his insight into the history and why "this is like that " with Karatsu ware is unequaled. A very generous and thoughtful person.

woodpile

2010-11-14T06:09:00.002-06:00

Thursday and part of Friday were used putting up wood. With the help of Leona, Lee, Jedd ; we were able to put up about four more cords of wood. I'm feeling a little smug about this at the moment. We worked hard to get the wood put aside because of a forecast snow on Saturday and Sunday. The wood work got done and it snowed on schedule, and we were not out in the snow, cutting and stacking.
The wood should be nice and seasoned for the spring firing. I may get another four cords next week if the weather improves. I always like to have a least, two firings worth of wood on hand when I fire. Three firings worth would be better, but I don't have the space right now. Having a surplus of wood takes away the stress of running out of wood, or having judgments on firing, not for the good of the pots, but because you might run out of wood.
Leona is a great wood stacker. She grew up with wood for heat, as one of the younger children of the family, her job was to stack the wood after it was split. The stokers can now thank her for wood that is very well organized, and neatly stacked. This doesn't seem like much, but on three to five day firings, organization makes a big difference.

Make good pots.
~Craig

New Kiln In Taku, Japan

2010-11-05T06:42:00.005-05:00

Hello All: I haven't posted in a long time. A bit of time away from the computer was needed. Here is a link to what I have been up to,
http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
This wood fired kiln was made in a workshop the Mike Martino hosted at his studio in Taku, Japan. I was the guest artist. Mike and I designed this kiln over a two year period. The workshop was glorious and the kiln that got built is top notch. I am very proud to have been a part of this project, and look forward to wood firing this new kiln in the spring.
The picture is of the first chamber of two chambers.
Sorry to have been away so long, it's good to be back.

~Cheers
Make good pots!!
~Craig

Irises and Yunomi

2010-05-28T17:39:00.000-05:00

Life in the spring always seems to be a bit of a blurr.. I can't believe that it's been so long since I've posted last, or even read my favorite blogs. The flowers are in bloom here are the irises in front of the studio doing their iris thing.

Finally started throwing for the next firing. I pretty much used up all the wood in the last firing so it's been cutting, splitting and stacking, and this and a lot of that. Well blogging doesn't split the wood, so for now... Make good pots.

Bizen like clay body

2010-05-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

There was a pleasant surprise at the back of the kiln. I've been looking at Bizen pottery and have been smitten with the straight forward and honesty of them. I have been working on a clay and firing to get that rich brown with a slight misty patina from the wood. Here is what I've come up with so far. It's not a traditional Bizen form, but I still like it. Make good pots.

Getting ready again

2010-05-01T10:29:00.001-05:00

The shelves are cleaned and washed, ready again for the next firing. Using the energy from the last firing helps to lead into the next. It's a very good time to think about what pots to make, and what direction to go, how you will fire differently.

Wood is always important, and there never seems to be enough, cut, split and stacked. This stack is from a blue spruce that came from my front yard.

This is the oak and birch that come from the saw mill by St. Cloud. I've got about half cut of what will be needed for the next firing. Well it's been rainy so the wood is on hold... time to make some mugs. ~ Make Good Pots

Just more...

2010-04-30T08:28:00.002-05:00

It's one of those rainy days... that we really need here. Nice light rain that will probably continue for a day or more. Perfect weather to be inside working on pots for the next firing, and none to soon. All this firing and shelf and brick moving has left the hands in need of some clay therapy. The new camera isn't letting download pictures onto the computer, so here are a few random shots of random pots from the spring firing. So here are a couple of column from the middle of the kiln.

Little pots, lots of flyash.

Two columns still in the ashs. The colours on these worked out well, but the flash on the camera (the one that doesn't like the computer now) washed them out some. Well ~Make good pots~

Some of the first pots out of the kiln.

2010-04-28T08:01:00.002-05:00

This is a view looking out of the kiln. So many pictures are looking into the kiln. Good to look the other way every now and then!

Here are a few of the columns out amounst the flowers.

This is a picture looking between the columns. It looks a bit like a forest.

Here is a picture of the next layer in. It looks like there are some goodies here. The columns on the bottom of the tier got well reduced with some browns, blacks and reds showing. I've added progressive amounts of red clay to the body as the pots go further back. The pots in the fourth and fifth stoke hole had a bizen like clay that is very red and matures at about cone 4-7.

handbuilt Teapot

2010-04-27T18:20:00.003-05:00

Here was a nice surprise, this little handbuilt teapot was sitting in the second tier of pots. It's a shino with heavy fly ash. Can't wait to try it out. Then of course it becomes a used pot. ` Make good pots.

Starting to unload

2010-04-27T08:40:00.002-05:00

Here is the door down with all the ash still in place. We got about 50 gallons of ash out of the firebox. Some will get used for glaze and the rest will be used on the lawn and flower beds as fertilizer.

Here is another picture of the columns. The camera has a flash so the colours are not quite right on these. It's a new camera so I'm still working out how this modern inconvenience works.

Here is Leona taking out some of the ash. We had a beautiful day to start to unload. The temp on the inside of the kiln was about 100F. Warm but not to bad. We waited for the kiln to get that cool not because the pots needed to be that cool to unload, but because we didn't want to get overheated unloading. We are going slow on unloading the pots, so that we can take the time to actually look at them! So besides unloading the kiln, we split wood, mowed the lawn and cleaned up around the kiln.

Finally here are some of the first columns to come out of the kiln. I'm pretty chuffed about the way they recorded the flame and ash. Well that's it for this post. Make good pots~~~

You know it's the end

2010-04-26T08:50:00.000-05:00

Here is the white smoke from the salting of the hidden chamber. A sure sign that the firing is over and we can all go home and get some rest.

Salting the hidden chamber

2010-04-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

I haven't salt fired in about ten years, so this was a mild foray into the world of vapor glazing again. It seems now days there is more soda firing going on than salt. We used about 5lbs of Safety salt that was sprinkled onto four curved wood pieces, two in each side. The cone 11 was down but the 12 was still standing very straight. This was at the end of the fire into the hidden chamber just behind the seitma. Here are a couple of pics of us pouring the salt on the wood and stoking the hidden chamber.

Barry and dave doing the final stoke of the firing. They look more awake in the photo than they really were.

Finishing the firing

2010-04-24T08:55:00.003-05:00

Here is Dave stoking the main firebox. It is about 2 oclock in the morning of Saturday and we are raising the temp for the final time. Firing this kiln is more than one person can do. Fortunately there are folks like Dave that like to stay up all night and play with fire. I am truly grateful for Dave and the other crazies that think that a good time is to stay up all night and play with fire.

The ember bed was a little high, we had mainly oak to stoke this time and oak coals up and leaves a large ember bed. We pulled off about 20 gallons of embers to get the firebox running efficiently. Different woods coal up differently and oak seems to be on the high end. With anagama's regulating the height and size of the ember bed is important to be able to reach the temperatures that you want.

Here I am starting to sidestoke the second stoke hole. I stoke this tier a lot during the firing for ash effects.
The kiln is still at about 200F after cooling for a week. The kiln opening will be Monday afternoon. Oh.. I peeked and am really looking forward to the opening!!

Door and small fire

2010-04-13T08:01:00.000-05:00

Today we mudded up the door and started the small fire! The mud is just dirt that we dug up from around the kiln and sieved. Last firing I used clay but that flaked off, dirt seems to work better, so dirt it is. The beginning of the fire is always so peaceful and relaxed, hard to imagine the energy that the fire will become.
Make good pots
~Craig

All loaded and bricked up

2010-04-12T10:11:00.001-05:00

The spring firing is all loaded up and the door is bricked, now all that's left is to fire!
Make good pots
~Craig

The loading continues

2010-04-07T05:52:00.001-05:00

We keep loading the kiln. I always think that we have more than enough pots, but they all seem to fit in the kiln. One more tier to go and then we start to load the second chamber.
The weather continues to be better than nice, hard to imagine that there was three feet of snow on the ground only a month ago.

Setting plates

2010-04-05T18:39:00.007-05:00

This last week has just been one of great weather and has been fun to get out from under the winter and load the kiln. Leona and I plan to have the kiln all loaded and ready to fire in two more days.
I took a couple of pics of wadding and stacking some small plates. The plates are glazed with a couple of different shinos. The shells leave nice marks and the shino records the flame well.
For now
Make good pots
~Craig

Wikiclay

2010-03-24T08:52:00.001-05:00

Here is a great new resource that you should check out and contribute your knowledge to. What a great idea. Thanks to Simon and Lloyd!!!

Simon Levin and Lloyd Cledwyn would like to announce the creation of a new resource for ceramicists everywhere. We hope Wikiclay.com will become a fluid and vibrant source of information on artists, galleries, schools, videos, and whatever else you think may be helpful. Anyone can use it, anyone can contribute, any...one can refine articles.

If you are a ceramic artist, a good friend of just a helpful person. Please post this in your Facebook Status, and check it out.

Columns to fire

2010-03-21T13:57:00.002-05:00

Here are two large columns that will be going into the wood fire. I think that they will catch the fire nicely. The weather is cooperating nicely and the firing is still on schedule. We all know how that can change very quickly.
Back to the kiln, good weather is a terrible thing to waste!

Spring Firing

2010-03-20T18:25:00.001-05:00

It's been a long winter and not very good for blogging about woodfiring, as winter makes wood firing almost impossible here. Spring is finally springing and was able to get out to the kiln and start getting it ready for the spring fire. I had to shovel about 3 feet of snow and chip 3 inchs of ice off the path to get to the kiln, but here it is ready for the spring firing. Time to get the list!!

Shino yunomi

2009-12-23T08:34:00.001-06:00

Here are a few yunomi that came out of the last firing, it's the typical wood ash on shino, a nice reliable combination. These and small bowls and cups are the real backbone of the firing. They pay for wood and clay etc. There is a storm headed this way today... so better get to it. Maybe 1-2 feet of snow and 20-60 MPH, we shall see if they are right about this. Make good pots!

Favorites from the fall firing

2009-12-21T08:10:00.001-06:00

Here are a couple more favorites out of the fall firing. These are the pots that there never seem to be enough of and keep you coming back to wood firing.

More pots from the fall firing.

2009-12-20T11:14:00.001-06:00

Here are some more pots from the fall firing. It's been so long since I have blogged that I almost forgot how to use this program... it's like falling of a bike... once you know how it's easy. The winter has hit Minnesota so there will be no more firing until spring... time to cut and stack wood and make pots for the spring. Have a good day and Make good pots!

Some pots from the fall 2009 firing

2009-12-20T10:59:00.002-06:00

Here are some pots from the last firing.

Snow!!

2009-10-11T11:10:00.002-05:00

Ahhh.. it snowed yesterday and will snow today... it looks like there is a chance that it may snow almost everyday next week. We will have to see about that, sometimes the weather man is right, sometimes not. I'm not going to post any photos of snow just yet, I'm sure that there will be plenty of chances in the months to come. The cool weather is great for cutting and splitting wood so it's chainsaw time.
Let's see where did I put the hockey mask and video camera...
Make good pots.

Plates and a jar

2009-10-09T16:40:00.002-05:00

Here are a couple of plates that I made today. They have a very clay feeling to them. I want the pots to feel like they are very close to the clay pit, freshly dug and made right there, on the spot. They remind me of South Dakota where I grew up, where there was nothing between you and the clay, and for that matter not much else, besides me and the clay!

Here is a jar, I don't really know what to think about it, or where it's leading to. We'll have to see what happens with this idea. There is something there just can't seem to see the next step yet.

The beginning of the cycle

2009-10-01T15:36:00.004-05:00

Just starting to get serious about the next firing. A few tokuri to get started while l take care of other things. It's always good to start with a clean plate, because the clay will take over. This will probably be a hot and sticky cone 12 firing. Igayaki and Shigaraki seem to be what is coming out on the wheel. Well have a good day... Make good pots!!

Breathing in... or out

2009-09-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

The last few months have been the blogging equivalent of an out breath. One of those cycles that I'm beginning to recognize. Time to breath in and start blogging on the next New London Anagama firing. Many fresh ideas.... we will see what happens... good to blog again!!

Stacked rock bottles

2009-04-21T13:18:00.000-05:00

Monitor problems are finally fixed and everything is computing smoothy. It's amazing how fast the blog world moves, and how much there is to catch up on.
Jared came down from St. Cloud on Sunday afternoon to get in some throwing. I was in a sort of relaxed mood so I made these bottles. They are a combination of life experiences that come bubbling up one around each other. I was really struck with rock stacks that I saw on the islands of the East China Sea, watching Goro Suzuki throw orbs, and add to that an anagama. Sonehow it makes perfect sense..... Ha... probably not at all. They were fun to make, and left me with a happy heart. What more could anyone expect..
Make good pots...

Happy Easter

2009-04-10T03:47:00.001-05:00

It looks like my monitor is going berserk, so I might be off for a bit. Happy Easter!

Goblet tops

2009-04-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

Some days are a real blue collar existence. Being a potter is a job. A really nice job.. but still a job. This morning I threw these 128 goblet tops, later this morning will come the stems and in the afternoon put the two together. Well, I have many miles left to travel... so keep the wheels spinning, make good pots and have a great day!!

A couple of yunomi

2009-04-08T19:18:00.002-05:00

Always fall in with what you're asked to accept. Take what is given, and make it over your way. My aim in life has always been to hold my own with whatever's going. Not against: with. ~~Robert Frost

Here are a couple of yunomi that are my favorites out of the last batch. I have an order for two hundred goblets, so I throw a few yunomi for therapy, some days more therapy is needed than others.
The weather is springing right along and I got the bike out today and rode it to work... felt sooooo good!!

Wadding from woodfiring

2009-04-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. ..~Albert Einstein

stone pots

2009-04-02T00:05:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of some stone pots that were outside a Buddhist shrine on Jeju island. I love the scale and weight to them. They have no connection with anything that is going on right now. I thought that you might like them because they are inspirational.
There was a blizzard here on Tuesday and it really threw a wrench into everything. I threw a couple hundred yunomi's in an attempt to ignore the reality of the endless winter. Marlin our local electrician is coming tomorrow to wire a phase converter up for the clay mixer!! Then it will be on to the thirty or so biggish pots needed for the coming fire. Hopefully the large pots will help keep me disconnected from frozen iceland outside. Hoping for a glimse of something other than white. Keep the wheels turning.

tokkura

2009-03-28T19:53:00.000-05:00

Started rolling on some tokkura today. They are white and tight, it's a good starting point, maybe some slip deco or the shino dip and finger swipe.
The weather was almost springlike and I started measuring out for a small wood kiln for the spring. Things like that are such a treat.

Yunomi

2009-03-27T16:50:00.001-05:00

Today I made some tight yunomi for the tight folks, and some loose yunomi for the loose folks. The weather here has started to calm down a bit. Those poor buggers in the Dakotas are feeling the wrath of Mother Nature. A flood and a blizzard at the same time, hopefully the levee will hold.

Trapped in a Snowglobe

2009-03-26T19:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I have this feeling that I'm trapped in a snowglobe. These flakes are big enough to cause some serious bodily harm. The snow came down again today for most of the day. Winter has returned. Spring is just to timid for it's own good.
Back to work. The spring (did I say spring) firing is coming up. Maybe I should say the late winter firing. Make good pots!!

Three Graces

2009-03-26T17:14:00.001-05:00

It was one of those days that felt kind of loose. I stacked up these little vases on a whim. There were three of them... hmmmm.. the Three Graces? It's snowing right now.. snow globe sort of snow... huge flakes!!
Enough blogging. Gonna go make some evening pots. Take care and Make good pots.

The nicest person you will ever meet

2009-03-25T15:07:00.001-05:00

There isn't much going on at the pottery today. To balance out life, here is this picture of Shinsaku Hamada, Shoji's oldest son. I had the pleasure of spending some time with him, he is with out a doubt one of the kindest persons I have ever met. He gazes into paradise, and shows you the mountain top view. Sometimes just thinking of him makes my pots better. Well, that makes me want to make pots. Which I will do. So have a great day, and Make good Pots.

The meaning of Big

2009-03-24T08:57:00.001-05:00

Not much going on today, it's a sort of rainy day. Doing reclaim and cleaning and some odds and ends. I thought that I'd put up this picture for anybody. It's a large woodfired jar with flyash dripping down. It's maybe 3' tall, the size doesn't translate as well as it should. It is one of Svend Bayer's, perhaps one of the largest that he makes. I walk by it everyday when I go into the work room, it says "Well what are you going to make today... it better be good".
Well have a good day ... Make good pots.

New tea bowl and saucer

2009-03-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

I've been goofing around with a new teabowl and saucer to go along with the new teapot design. This is where I ended up today. Not to sure about it. What do you think?
It's turned into a rainy day, perfect studio weather. The rain is melting the ice and there is an earthy feeling about. Love it.
Well back to the studio. I need to pug up some reclaim and get ready for some throwin..
Make good pots!

Pilsners

2009-03-22T08:45:00.002-05:00

I have an order for some pilsners. These were made first thing in the morning. Usually I like to get the throwing done early as before the day takes over. This is one of my favorite stages of pots, they're fresh and still alive.
It turned out to be a short day in the pottery. The weather was a perfect spring day. We took advantage of that and spent the rest of the day in the yard.
Well have a great day, and keep the wheels spinning.

Randy Johnston Plate

2009-03-21T07:45:00.001-05:00

I was going through a pile of plates and came across this one by Randy Johnston. It's from the mid 70's. Will Ruggles and Douglas Rankin were working with him then. Randy was experimenting with enamels. This is really a wild one for him. It's a shino glaze with kaki trailed, then red and green enamels fired on in a second firing.
This is one of those pots that have been around for so long that are there but you only see them out of the corner of your eye.
Well, I haven't had my morning coffee yet, so first things first and then off to throw some coffee mugs.

North Devon jug

2009-03-20T11:48:00.002-05:00

I pulled this nice North Devon style jug out to show a group of high school students how a well designed pot will anticipate that it will be used. This a large piece, made by Svend Bayer. I'm not sure if you would call it a tall tom or a thirty tales. You can see where it sat in an ember bed during the firing.
Spring is still springing!! These last few days have been making some tea bowls and listening to the birds as they come back to Minnesota.

A flight of teapots

2009-03-17T17:08:00.002-05:00

It must be spring, I spotted this flight of teapots on their migration north.
Some day lilies are starting to appear, all this is very good. It's about 60*F today, last Wednesday it was -12*F. It makes one down right giddy!!!

Protege and good weather

2009-03-16T08:45:00.001-05:00

Heather is a protege, that I've been mentoring for a few months now. I'm really proud of the work that she has been producing. This week she will start concentrating on the wheel. It's always heartening to see new people working at art.
Spring has come on like gangbusters these last few days and the temp will sore to about 60F. That's about 70F degrees warmer than five days ago. Needless to say I'll be out working on the kiln for the spring firing and probably start loading next week!! Well for now. Have a great day and make good pots.

Blizzard

2009-03-11T05:56:00.000-05:00

A picture out the back door. We live with snow for so many months of the year that I sometimes forget how beautiful it can be. The winds were howling last night and the windchill was -25F. Friday we may be 45F. This March is starting to be crazy. It's 6 AM, I'm out the door to the studio for a morning of teapots... Hopefully I'll be done with them and start on some large sigaraki jars later today or first thing tomorrow. Have a great day and make good pots!

Brandon and Izzy

2009-03-10T17:47:00.000-05:00

Brandon and Izzy have been working at the studio the last couple of weeks. They are two art students from the High School. I've been showing them how to make slabbuilt pots. They are really doing well and I'm very proud of them. Wednesday is their last day so the pressure is on to finish their work.

Teapot, tools

2009-03-10T13:39:00.002-05:00

Here are some of the tools that are good for teapot making. The traditional water buffalo horn rib has been replaced by a Micheal Shirrell, soft rib. All the other tools are from Yixing, China. The mallet to pound out slabs is really useful, and after a little getting used to is almost as fast as a slabroller... plus I think that you get a better slab. The clay is more lined up and doesn't curl like a potato chip. The tool in the exact center is a spouting knife, it is used sort of like a reamer, it makes the spout super smooth so you get a nice clean pour. If you center click on your mouse the image get much larger so you can see the tools "up close".
Enjoy the rest of the day .... Make good pots!!

teapot

2009-03-09T06:11:00.000-05:00

Here is the latest teapot. It is the one that I posted the how to on. It's been firing in an electric kiln.. This is supposed to be a blog about wood firing, so I apologize about that. It's still a couple of months until it will be warm enough to fire the wood kiln. I've started on another 10 of this form for the spring firing. They are in a bunch of different claybodies, from a couple of porcelains to some stony sigaraki like clays, and a few in between.
I don't know why these teapots are being made. I was showing Cody my YiXing teapot tools and the next thing we were making teapots. I really like them, and completely enjoy making them, just never expected to be making them right now. They bring back some good memories of Po and Mei-gun Goo.
Well time to have a cuppa and off to the studio.. the teapots are waiting for their spouts.. patience little pots.

snow kiln

2009-03-04T14:44:00.001-06:00

Here is the sorry state of the kiln after the last snowfall. The shed works really nice for rain, but the snow can blow and drift sideways. It's warming up this week so it will be really great to get out to the kiln and sweep of the snow and straighten up from the winter. I like to keep the kiln and woodpile clean and the wood stacked nicely. Somehow over the winter it gets messy and confused, not really sure how that happens.
No pots today, I have a grant review panel this weekend, so today is reading a couple hundred pages of grants.
Well time for the afternoon cuppa and continue to muddle though the pile.
Enjoy the day and as always, make good pots

A few for the spring firing

2009-03-02T03:05:00.000-06:00

Most of the day was spent shoveling snow but I did manage to get to the studio and make a few more guinomi for the spring firing. I really like these little pots. They fit in all those odd little places in the kiln. I use one all day long to drink tea from. A couple sips in between pots or whatever I'm into.
Winter is back in full force with temp at -11F this morning. Nature is pistine with the new snow and cold temp. Everything is white, all the animals are quiet, and all the smells in the air are gone. When it gets about 20F birds will start to chirp again, around 30F smells will start to return. A very good time to stay inside and get pots made!!
Time for some tea and pots. Enjoy your day...

Kiln Pictures for Jake

2009-02-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

My friend Jake wanted to see some kiln pics of the seitma and grate. I finally found these after sorting.. and sorting. I really do need to get the pics organized.

It was -8F this morning so needless to say I will not be crawling around in the kiln today. To all that are firing there kilns today... Good Fires!!!

Snow

2009-02-27T03:01:00.001-06:00

It started snowing Thursday morning and never stopped all day... all the schools got out early.. there's a lot of happy kids today!!
I just heard that the schools will be two hours late on Friday. Definitely a good day to walk to work.

Teapots 2

2009-02-26T15:00:00.002-06:00

Ahh.. here is the second post on the new teapot. The first pic is with the handle and spout in place. So is the second picture, just a little more cleaned up and showing off my nice black backdrop. The spout was made using the Yi-Xing method. They have developed a couple of tools that work really well for this. One is called a spouting knife, a long narrow knife that makes for a really smooth inside of the spout.

I cut out a circle for the lid to see the fit.

Then fluted it and put on a small handle. Well that's everything I know in under five minutes!! It's snowing again... maybe 5 to 10" today... natures little miracle. It's been a late lunch, so off to the shop to make and make and make... Have a great day and make good pots!!

New Teapot

2009-02-25T15:00:00.000-06:00

Friday and feeling the winter blues, and then it started snowing. Snow is one of those little amazing miracles of nature, like when grapes turn to wine. Snowfall is a guaranteed mood elevator, redeemer of winter. I started doodling about with snowflake designs and a teapot started to develop. The final pot has no semblance to a snowflake, but what are you gonna do.

Here is the form for the body of the teapot.

The top and bottom of the body with the spout on the left.. gotta look to see the spout.

Below are the handle parts, spout and the body put together. You'll have to wait for the next post to see the finished teapot as the blog can only do four pics at once. Well, time to do some chores outside, a beautiful day, sunny and 34F. A storm is brewing in the Dakotas that may bring another 6-12" of snow... yikes!!!

The line up

2009-02-24T08:53:00.001-06:00

We are cleaning the gallery last week and these jars got lined up for cleaning. Usually they are not all in the same place, flying in formation. It looked like a "Kodak moment" Well off to make... Have a great day.

Teapot of the week

2009-02-23T13:39:00.003-06:00

I've really been on this teapot jag lately. Something that just happened. Usually a teabag in the cup was standard. Here's the teapot that is in favor this week. It is one of Svend Bayer's that he made sometime back in the 90's.... that's the last century. How time fly's. It's a beauty, sometimes there are teapots that look great but don't work well. You buy them with great anticipation only to be crushed when they spray tea out the spout. This one's a charmer, pours great, feels good in the hand, and brews a nice cup of tea. It's even nice to look at. So I hope you enjoy and have a nice rest of the day.